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| France sets out Afghan deployment | France sets out Afghan deployment |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| France could send "a few hundred" extra troops to Afghanistan, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has told MPs. | France could send "a few hundred" extra troops to Afghanistan, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has told MPs. |
| He unveiled the plan after warning Kabul could fall again to the Taleban unless the Nato mission was reinforced. | He unveiled the plan after warning Kabul could fall again to the Taleban unless the Nato mission was reinforced. |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to announce the details of a new deployment to Afghanistan at a Nato summit this week in Bucharest, Romania. | |
| France currently has about 1,500 troops in Afghanistan, part of the 43,000-strong Nato-led force, Isaf. | France currently has about 1,500 troops in Afghanistan, part of the 43,000-strong Nato-led force, Isaf. |
| Mr Fillon raised the possibility of more troops in a stormy parliamentary debate called by the opposition Socialists. | |
| An opinion poll on Monday said 68% of French people disapproved of any strengthening of the French troop presence in Afghanistan, while just 15% approved. | |
| Britain and the US have frequently called on other Nato members to send more soldiers to fight the Taleban. | Britain and the US have frequently called on other Nato members to send more soldiers to fight the Taleban. |
| Mr Fillon had earlier outlined on France Inter radio three conditions to any new French deployment. | Mr Fillon had earlier outlined on France Inter radio three conditions to any new French deployment. |
| He said firstly there had to be faster reconstruction and more hospitals and schools built in Afghanistan. | He said firstly there had to be faster reconstruction and more hospitals and schools built in Afghanistan. |
| He also said the pace of "Afghanisation" had to be increased. By the summer of 2009, he said, responsibility for the Kabul region ought to be fully in the hands of the Afghan army. | He also said the pace of "Afghanisation" had to be increased. By the summer of 2009, he said, responsibility for the Kabul region ought to be fully in the hands of the Afghan army. |
| And he called on the other allies in the Nato mission to commit themselves to an increase in their forces. | And he called on the other allies in the Nato mission to commit themselves to an increase in their forces. |